Off Limit System

The lights in the room had gone out twenty minutes ago. The only light on was the dim nightlight on the wall above the bed. Ethan could not close his eyes. He usually slept even before the room lights went off. However, that night he didn't feel tired at all. Something kept him focused on just one thing: the game.

THE OFF LIMIT made Ethan feel "alive," despite his previous physical and emotional fragility. Despite the suspense and horror, the game generated a little addiction in Ethan that he had never felt before.
The thrill.

The game was still on the nightstand, and Ethan took another look. Both Dane's and Terry's statements stayed with him. There was no turning back once you entered the game. In actuality, though, Ethan might return to reality. There the hard truth was obviously real.

Could there be a chance to retreat, early in the game? Would it be better if Ethan stopped before it was too late?

Ethan's nose could be heard exhaling heavily. Coupled with the image of Dane that flashed across his head.

How is Dane? Was he back in the game? Or had the 17-year-old lad opted not to return for his own mental health's sake?

Didn't they promise to meet again?

Ethan got up and reached for the game console on the nightstand. He switched it on and hit the "START" button without thinking.

...

There was no warm welcome like the one Ethan received the first time he entered OFF LIMIT. He emerged from thin air in front of the gate. The holographic screen displayed the latest status update, indicating that he had returned to THE MEDIEVAL's lobby. Ethan already had his shield propped up on his back, connected to a string that hung over his shoulder. He was dressed in the same dingy black T-shirt and shorts as before.

There was a sigh of relief, yet there was also a pang of regret. He was only wondering if it was a good idea to return to the game. Perhaps Ethan could still stop before it was too late.

"Ethan!" exclaimed someone who was seated on the stone steps beside the gate.

It was Dane.

He waved his hand excitedly, then ran over to Ethan.

"I've been waiting for you for a while," said the seventeen-year-old.

Ethan's forehead furrowed in astonishment. "How long?"

"Almost all night, I guess. It’s past 12 pm right now.”

“I only got back online after five hours. How could you wait all night for me?” Ethan couldn't believe his eyes.

Dane looked serious. "I swear. I'm not making this up. Maybe time is slower here. I don’t know what technology they used, but I’ve experienced it myself.”

Ethan was fully aware of this. Thus, he had no intention of making an argument. Yet there was one thing he was intrigued about. Why would Dane be playing all night? It seemed strange.

"What did you do all night? Why didn't you go back to the real world?" Ethan asked.

"Looking for information. Don't worry, I didn't run into Ulrich. Maybe he's not online."

"Maybe there's someone more wicked than Ulrich. You shouldn't be alone yourself."

"Everything is fine. Take it easy." Dane walked first to return to sitting on the stone steps. "Come here, I'll share the information with you," he continued.

Ethan only responded with a brief nod. Then he sat down beside Dane.

"I met some people, we talked," Dane said. "A lot of things weren't explained in the game's instruction paper."

"What does the handbook say? What's explained in the manual?" asked Ethan.

"You don't know?" Dane looked at Ethan in surprise, then he nodded quickly. "I forgot, you got this game from someone else," the young man grinned.

"I'm completely ... oblivious."

"Well, do I have to explain from the beginning?"

"I guess so. We haven't had a chance to talk about this yet," Ethan replied.

“Someone’s approached me. I was in the library, and he handed me a box of console games."

"A stranger?"

"Yes, a stranger," Dane repeated.

"Weren't you suspicious?"

"Of course, I am. But he just said, 'if you want to change your life, you finish this game'. I just froze, then he continued, 'If you're not interested. You don't have to worry about it. I can pick up the game again'. After that he left," Dane explained.

"What did that guy look like?"

Dane was temporarily stunned. "He was tall, wore a hat, not sure if I remember his face. An exotic face, I guess, because his skin was tanned. He was wearing a plain black T-shirt, and denim pants."
"I thought he'd wear a suit, sunglasses, and look like a mobster."

Dane chuckled. "No, his clothes were casual."

"So?"

Dane then stated that he had opened the package. There was an instruction paper with five important points on it.

That whoever participates in the game, is not allowed to quit before winning or being eliminated.

Only three chances to stay in the game.

Games are non-transferable.

The winner will get everything they desire.

Players obey and abide by the game rules.

There were additional points, but Dane only recalled them momentarily.

He simply took the game box home with him. And he never saw the stranger again.

"And you're interested in playing it?" asked Ethan incredulously.

"My life is a living hell, Ethan. I just want to find some entertainment." Dane smiled sadly.

"Then what other information do you know?"

"That THE MEDIEVAL is the first safe point, for early levels up to twenty-five. After that, no one knows. All who are here have only reached level twenty-five at most."

"Okay."

"There are several places to level up, additional missions, referred to as The Casual," Dane continued. "For the main mission, it will appear on the holographic screen, once a week in OFF LIMIT time."

"How long in real world terms?"

"It's said to be about three days."

"No one knows what the next missions will be like?"

Dane shook his head. "No one wants to tell me. They just say, practice, and level up so we can survive."

"What kind of game is this," Ethan complained.

"One more thing, I wonder if it's possible for the game to accidentally change hands. Like in your case."

"Then what did they say?"

Dane shook his head. "There's never been anything like this before, Ethan. Friends, relatives, anyone who doesn't own a console game, they just know it's a cheap game."

"Are you sure?"

"You think I'm lying? You can ask people who are willing to give you information."

"It's not that I think you are. It's just that..."

Ethan did not finish his sentence. Why did he enter into the game by mistake? He was still confused. He did not discover the root cause of his being in the OFF LIMIT world.

"Then why is this happening to me? This doesn't make sense," Ethan muttered.

"Maybe you were in a system glitch, and this happened to you."

"Can I quit? Leave the game because of a system glitch?"